The Night Rose

Arwin and Mark had agreed to scout ahead at tonight, since she was feeling so much better. Aside from that, scouting was critical and could not be delayed.

However, when Mark saw Arwin, he almost couldn't believe his eyes.

In front of him was now an elegantly dressed young man who didn't seem to be female at all. He was more likely looking at a frail young master from some noble family who had come to seek mischievous adventure.

"What do you think, Mark? Is this good enough to flirt with women and fight with drunkards in the city?" Arwin asked with a smirk, while placing the pistol inside her jacket. She had borrowed a rapier from the doctor, leaving her battle axe behind.

"Are you really female, Arwin?" Mark asked confusedly as he couldn't distinguish any features between her male and female form.

"Oh, my dear Mark, do you want to strip these off and see? I might even swing your way and let you use the backdoor freely." Arwin flirted away with Mark now while trying to seem like a skirt chaser.

Mark, blushed and he couldn't say anything to retort. Luckily he has his mask on, and the night was hiding it away.

After a couple of minutes, he said, "Let's just focus on our task as we planned. I will go and scout the roof and all of the possible entrances for this hatch. You will gather information from the near inns looking for the shift and guard patrols." Mark said while tugging his mask more so that his shyness wouldn't show off.

"Tsk. Changing the subject. Too bad this young master would have waited for a good time, but if you prefer to be at the bottom, I don't mind that either." Arwin flirted even more with Mark, who just quickly turned around and jump to the nearest rooftop. He was clearly run away by doing his part of the plan.

"Too bad he was kinda cute, especially his reactions. Really innocent," Arwin said while before whistling leisurely.

She soon came to the inn that had a pub next to it. Arwin then, carelessly, walked inside the pub.

"Oh, young man! Are you sure this is a place for you?" One of the rowdy customers suddenly shouted mockingly.

With a snort, "Do you dare bet against me? If I drink more than you can handle, you pay all the alcohol and treat everyone for a round. In case you won miraculously, I will pay everyone a round here!" Arwin suddenly shouted out, challenging the rowdy person.

After hearing Arwin's arrogant challenge, everyone cheered. Regardless of who was the loser, they would end up getting free drinks just for watching. Who would refuse that?

"Eric, you can definitely take that skinny person out!"

"Go for it, Eric, and we get free drinks." The regulars encouraged before they started to cheer for the man named Eric.

"Skinny man, I take your offer, and you will surely lose! I haven't gotten the nickname drunk Eric for no reason," Eric shouted while sitting next to the bar table, clearing room for Arwin.

Arwin sat next to Eric and said to the bartender.

"For both of us bring your best ale, but for me, can you specifically mix it up?" Arwin winked at the bartender who understood his hidden meaning.

Arwin just ordered a glass of water for the first round. The bartender didn't mind this method of cheating as he will get money from Eric regardless while he mixed Arwin's special.

"Your competition starts now. When you have empty the first glass, I will serve another one successively, and the last one standing or the one who has more cups at his side of the table is the winner." The bartender said before he served the drinks.

Arwin started to drink slowly, savoring the taste and pretending that he was already struggling with the first drink while Eric gulped it down with one shot.

"Kid, you should have stuck with your mother's breasts as I can still see the milk dripping from your mouth," Eric said, and the whole bar started to laugh.

When Eric had already finished his second one and was starting his third one.

On the other hand, Arwin just finished the first glass and said casually, "Ah, this is excellent alcohol! Serve the next one, fellow bartender." Arwin didn't forget to flash a smile at the women who were at the bar, and their hearts melted.

When the next mug was served for Arwin, no one saw a small exchange that happened at the same moment.

Arwin gave a small coin purse with a small note and bottle to the bartender.

The bartender opened the purse under the table and made sure that no one saw it. He then confirmed the amount, before he poured the small vital on Eric's next cup.

In the note, there was simply written down that makes the next drink spicy.

When Eric drank it, he suddenly started to wobble around seemingly drunker.

"I'm sho slhleepy. I thhinnk I haddd cooouple tooo manyy." He said gibberishly before falling to the floor.

"Does this mean I won?" Arwin asked while pocketing Eric's coin purse and announcing. "Eric kindly promised the next drinks for everyone from his purse." Before tossing the coin purse to the bartender who swiftly took the purse and placed it away.

The people in the bar didn't care about Eric at all now. They didn't even think about the possibility that Arwin had cheated as the free booze that was being served was more important them. They just happily roared before thanking Arwin, who silently drank from her cup.